CONVERSATION ON RAIN-MAKING. 25 



in convulsions. Part of the same bulb is converted into smoke, 

 and ascends toward the sky ; rain follows in a day or two. The 

 inference is obvious. Were we as much harassed by droughts, 

 the logic would be irresistible in England in 1857. 



As the Bakwains believed that there must be some connection 

 between the presence of " God's Word" in their town and these 

 successive and distressing droughts, they looked with no good will 

 at the church bell, but still they invariably treated us with kind- 

 ness and respect. I am not aware of ever having had an enemy 

 in the tribe. The only avowed cause of dislike was expressed by 

 a very influential and sensible man, the uncle of Sechele. " We 

 like you as well as if you had been born among us ; you are the 

 only white man we can become familiar with (thoaela) ; but we 

 wish you to give up that everlasting preaching and praying ; we 

 can not become familiar with that at all. You see we never get 

 rain, while those tribes who never pray as we do obtain abund- 

 ance." This was a fact ; and we often saw it raining on the hills 

 ten miles off, while it would not look at us "even with one eye." 

 If the Prince of the power of the air had no hand in scorching us 

 up, I fear I often gave him the credit of doing so. 



As for the rain-makers, they carried the sympathies of the peo- 

 ple along with them, and not without reason. With the follow- 

 ing arguments they were all acquainted, and in order to under- 

 stand their force, we must place ourselves in their position, and 

 believe, as they do, that all medicines act by a mysterious charm. 

 The term for cure may be translated " charm" (ala/ia). 



Medical Doctor. Hail, friend ! How very many medicines you 

 have about you this morning ! Why, you have every medicine in 

 the country here. 



Main Doctor. Very true, my friend ; and I ought ; for the 

 whole country needs the rain which I am making. 



M. D. So you really believe that you can command the clouds ? 

 I think that can be done by God alone. 



R. D. We both believe the very same thing. It is God that 

 makes the rain, but I pray to him by means of these medicines, 

 and, the rain coming, of course it is then mine. It was I who 

 made it for the Bakwains for many years, when they were at 

 Shokuane ; through my wisdom, too, their women became fat and 

 shining. Ask them ; they will tell you the same as I do. 



